Fermented Jalapeños
If you like your food with a little bit of zing, then you’ll love this easy recipe for fermented jalapeños. Not only are they deliciously spicy, but fermentation makes them self-preserving.
Jump to:
We love spicy foods in this house.
We have a collection of hot sauces that can rival any grocery store, and we’re always on the lookout for more. I’ve dabbled with many spicy recipes, like sriracha powder, jalapeno salt, sriracha salt, fermented hot sauce, and then some.
But this might be my favorite version of pickled jalapenos.
This lacto-fermented jalapeños recipe is dedicated to the lookout.
Expert Tips
- While you’ve got the ingredients and the mess out, why not try your hand at fermented hot sauce, fermented garlic, or fermented salsa?
- When I talk about burping your ferment, what I mean is to open the lid and allow the carbon dioxide to escape, reducing pressure inside the jar. During the process, the live cultures (lactic acid bacteria) in the ferment consume the natural sugars in the peppers and excrete carbon dioxide which creates pressure on the jar. If left too long, the jar can burst due to pressure.
- Fermentation is a really accessible food preservation method, anyone can do it, with nearly any supplies. I have a section below detailing supplies required and easy substitutions that you’ll likely have around home!
- It is very important to ensure that ALL ingredients remain below the brine at all times during the fermentation time – this is the best way to keep bad bacteria at bay and prevent batch-ruining molds or other unwanted visitors to your ferment.
What Is Lacto-Fermenting?
Lacto-fermentation is the process of preserving fruits and vegetables in brine (water and salt) using lactobacillus bacteria to create lactic acid. Lactic acid gives fermented foods their characteristic sour taste and acts as a preservative, extending the shelf life of your produce. The bacteria also produce other compounds that contribute to the flavor, nutrient bioavailability, and digestibility of these foods.
Lacto-fermentation is a natural process that does not require the addition of heat, chemicals, or other artificial ingredients. The lactobacillus or beneficial bacteria are found naturally on the surface of plants, so when jalapenos are placed in the right environment, the bacteria begin to grow and multiply. As they do so, they release lactic acid into the mixture, which lowers the pH and creates an environment inhospitable to other harmful microbes.
Why Ferment Jalapenos
- If you’re a fan of all things jalapeno; pickled jalapenos, jalapeno salt, dill pickle jalapeno hot sauce, to name a few… just wait until you try them fermented. Lacto-fermented jalapeños are so easy to make, though they do require a bit hands-off time, and the flavor is next-level. The fermentation process brings out the natural sweetness and savory depth of hot chilis, creating a tangy, spicy, perfectly sour bite, all without a drop of vinegar.
- Fermenting your own jalapeños also means you can play with the flavor. Toss in a few cloves of garlic, some fresh dill, a sliced onion, or other spices to make a custom blend that suits your taste. It’s a great way to preserve a garden harvest or take advantage of a sale, and the shelf life far outlasts fresh peppers in the fridge.
- Properly fermented jalapeños develop a bold, complex flavor that pairs well with just about anything. We love them piled on smoked burgers, folded into jalapeño cheddar sourdough, scattered over nachos, tucked into tacos or tossed onto homemade sourdough pizza, or even chopped into salads. Once you start fermenting, you might never go back to the vinegar version!
Key Ingredients
Jalapeños: Use fresh, ripe jalapeño peppers for this recipe. Discard any that have blemishes, bruises, or are otherwise damaged.
Salt: Choose mineral sea salt for the best flavor profile or coarse kosher salt for the most neutral salt flavor.
Water: Spring water or well water works great in fermenting recipes. Avoid chlorinated water wherever possible as chlorine can affect microbial activity. I use straight well water or well water run through my RO system for all my ferments.
How To Make Fermented Jalapeños
Prepare Ingredients:
- Prepare for fermenting by washing a fermentation vessel, which can be as simple as a mason jar and lid. It does not have to be sanitized or sterilized but should be washed well with hot soapy water. Set aside to dry.
- Scrub and rinse 1/2 lb jalapenos under warm water - avoid hot water or soap which can damage the lactic acid bacteria necessary for proper fermentation.
- Slice or dice jalapenos as desired. I often make some sliced and some strips.
- Pack the sliced jalapenos into washed quart jar or pint jars.
Prepare The Brine:
- Combine 4 cups of room temperature water with 2 tablespoons of sea salt. Stir until completely dissolved. Pour salt brine into the jars, ensuring everything is covered.
- Weigh down the ingredients using a pickle pebble, a piece of crumpled parchment paper, or a small ziplock bag filled with brine.
- Secure the lid tightly, and set aside to ferment.
Ferment The Peppers:
- Keep your ferment somewhere where you’ll see it daily to observe and open the lid and burp it but keep it away from direct sunlight. If you’re using an airlock lid or pickle pipe, you won’t need to burp your fermented peppers.
- After a few days, you should start to notice fermenting activity. There will be small bubbles that rush to the top of the jar when you tap it, the jar may hiss slightly when opened, the color of the peppers will dull, the brine will be cloudy, and the brine may leak over the top of the jar and run down the sides.
- Allow the peppers to ferment for 4-6 days.
Rest The Peppers:
- Just like other pickles, these pickled peppers should be rested for 1-2 weeks in the fridge before eating. This rest period allows the flavors time to mature and mellow out at the same time.
Recipe Notes
Finishing:
These easy fermented jalapenos are delicious as is at the end of the fermentation process but feel free to play around and toss in some garlic, or dill, or whatever fresh herbs and spices you like at the beginning of the process. Make these your favorite jalapenos you’ve ever had according to your taste buds!
Fermenting Time:
The great thing about fermenting anything is that it’s all about personal taste, and there’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to fermentation time. Most people ferment their peppers for 4-6 days, but you can certainly ferment for longer if you want to develop a deeper, more complex flavor.
The key is to experiment and find what works best for your taste buds. If you’re new to fermented food, start with a shorter fermentation time and then taste your peppers each day to see how they’re developing. If you like what you taste, then you can halt the fermentation and enjoy it. But if you want a more sour, tangy flavor, then you can ferment for a little longer next time.
Ultimately, the decision of how long is entirely up to you, so have fun and experiment until you find the perfect flavor profile for your taste buds.
Fermenting Temperature:
The ideal range for fermentation is between 68-75°F.
If the temperature is too low, the fermenting process will take longer and may not be as effective. On the other hand, if the temperature is too high, the fermentation process will occur too quickly and may produce an unpleasant flavor.
Fermenting your chilis at the right temperature will ensure they have a bold, flavorful taste that everyone will love.
Kahm Yeast:
If you notice a white film forming on the surface of your ferment, it’s more than likely kahm yeast – which is generally harmless but tastes terrible.
The presence of kahm yeast will probably affect the outcome of your ferment – though some people say you can scrape it off and continue, I’d advise you to scrap it and start again.
While it may be tempting to try and salvage, it’s generally not worth the risk. Starting over may seem like a pain, but it’s better than ending up with a batch that’s inedible.
Batch + Storage
Batch:
This recipe makes about 2 pint jars or 1 quart jar of lacto-fermented jalapenos. It can easily be doubled or halved depending on your desired outcome.
Storage:
Keep your delicious peppers in the fridge for up to 6 months – if they even last that long!
The microbes in your peppers are still alive and viable, and they’ll continue to create carbon dioxide. If kept at room temperature, you’ll be likely to create a spicy explosion – and not in a good way. Please, please, keep it in the fridge or cold storage for long-term storage.
More Fun Fermenting Recipes
Fermentation Equipment
As previously mentioned, fermentation is very accessible – it doesn’t require any specialized equipment.
Fermentation vessel:
This can be any glass jars that have airtight lids. A wide-mouth mason jar, an old pickle jar, an old kombucha bottle. Anything you have around will certainly work! It just needs to be airtight and glass. Non-glass materials can be porous and difficult to clean, and/or harbor bad microbes.
Fermentation weight:
While there are specific glass fermentation weights or pickle pebbles, you can use a few different things. A ziplock-style bag half filled with brine placed on top of the ingredients works great. A crumpled piece of parchment paper placed on top of the ingredients also works.
Lids:
I have airlock lids and pickle pipes as well as well as regular mason jar lids here in the Crave kitchen, but I also don't have enough of them to keep me in the ferments, SO I often end up using other things from around the house and they work just fine!
The advantage to using specific fermentation lids is two fold; firstly, they remove all of the oxygen helping to prevent fouled ferments, secondly, they allow the ferment to vent without needing to manually burp them. The lids are designed with a one way pressure release, though each looks different than the next, they effectively function the same - once the pressure is high enough, the lid opens a valve and allows excess carbon dioxide (pressure) to escape.
📖 Printable Recipe
Fermented Jalapeños
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb jalapeno peppers
- 2 tablespoons salt, sea salt or kosher
- 1 quart water
Instructions Start Cooking
Prepare Ingredients:
- Prepare for fermenting by washing a fermentation vessel, which can be as simple as a mason jar and lid. It does not have to be sanitized or sterilized but should be washed well with hot soapy water. Set aside to dry. Wash fresh ingredients under warm running water.
- Slice or dice 1/2 lb of jalapenos as desired.
- Pack the sliced jalapenos into washed quart jar or pint jars.
Prepare The Brine:
- Combine 4 cups of room temperature water with 2 tablespoons of sea salt. Stir until completely dissolved.
- Pour salt brine into the jars, ensuring everything is covered.
- Weigh down the ingredients before securing the lid tightly.
- Set it aside to ferment.
Ferment The Peppers:
- Keep your ferment somewhere where you'll see it daily to observe and open the lid and burp it but keep it away from direct sunlight. If you're using an airlock lid or pickle pipe, you won't need to burp your fermented peppers.
- After a few days, you should start to notice fermenting activity. There will be small bubbles that rush to the top of the jar when you tap it, the jar may hiss slightly when opened, the color of the peppers will dull, the brine will be cloudy, and the brine may leak over the top of the jar and run down the sides.
- Allow the peppers to ferment for 4-6 days.
Rest The Peppers:
- Just like other pickles, these pickled peppers should be rested for 1-2 weeks in the fridge before eating. This rest period allows the flavors time to mature and mellow out at the same time.
I have glass weights for my jars, but I suspect the little white seeds might float up above the water line. Do I have to be concerned about them polluting the ferment?
It shouldn’t be a problem, if you’re worried you can place a piece of parchment paper in the jar before the weight to help keep them wrangled!
If I add vinegar at the end of the ferment , how much should I add and will it kill the bacteria? I’ve got a batch that’s going on two weeks and is will be in the refrigerator tomorrow. I can’t wait to try them.
You’d have to heat the peppers and the brine to 180f and pasteurize to stop the fermentation completely. I don’t, cause I like the benefits of having the live cultures in my food. That said, the fridge temperature slows the fermentation almost to a halt and I’ve never found it necessary! If you prefer the flavor of a vinegar pickle, you can certainly add some vinegar to the brine!
Thanks this was so easy